The Hundred Years War - THE LAST BATTLE : THE BATTLE OF CASTILLON - 17th of July 1453 - YouTube The Hundred Years War - THE LAST BATTLE : THE BATTLE OF CASTILLON - 17th of July 1453 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Mar 2, 2011 The Battle of Castillon (17th of July 1453), the last big battle of The "Hundred Years War" marks the total victory for the French & the Kingdom of France and the total defeat for the Kingdom of England in the long "Hundred Years War" of 116 years old. Never more the English (or later, the British) will be able to set foot in France or on the continent of Europe in order to build themselves a new "empire" there. And France begins her ascension to become, during the folowing centuries, the foremost European power.

The battle of Castillon is also considered to mark the end of the Middle Ages. Good watch :-) MUSIC : "ERA-Hymne" PS : Special thanks to my friend Napoleon Calland for the perfect translation in english of my original french text :-) Category Battle of Castillon | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit The term, "Hundred Years' War" is problematic as the fighting between the English and the French during the period of 1337 to 1453 more represents a series of conflicts than a prolonged war. Thus, the conflict(s) can be examined from the vantage point of various stages. [3] The breakdown of the 1420 Treaty of Troyes began the final stage of the Hundred Years' War. [4] This period from 1420 to 1453 is characterized by Anne Curry as the “wars of the Treaty of Troyes” for control of the crown of France. [5] After the 1451 French capture of Bordeaux by the armies of Charles VII, the Hundred Years' War appeared to be at an end. The English primarily focused on reinforcing their only remaining possession, Calais, and watching over the seas.

[6] However, after three hundred years of English rule, the citizens of Bordeaux considered themselves subjects of the English monarch and sent messengers to Henry VI of England demanding that he recapture the province. [7] On October 17, 1452, John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury landed near Bordeaux with a force of 3,000 men. [8] A feared and famous military leader, Talbot was rumored to be seventy-five or eighty years old, but it is more likely that he was around sixty-six at the time. [9] With the cooperation of the townspeople, Talbot easily took the city on October 23. [10] The English subsequently took control over most of Western Gascony by the end of the year. [10] The French knew an expedition was coming, but had expected it to come through Normandy . [8] After this surprise, Charles VII prepared his forces over the winter, and by the spring of 1453 he was ready to counter-attack. [8] Preparation Edit Charles invaded Guyenne with three separate armies, all headed for Bordeaux.

[8] Talbot received 3,000 additional reinforcements from his fourth and favorite son, Viscount Lisle . [8] The French laid siege to Castillon on July 8. [11] Talbot acceded to the pleas of the town commanders, abandoning his original plan to wait for reinforcements at Bordeaux, and set out to relieve the garrison. [11] The French army was commanded by committee; however, it was Charles VII's ordnance officer, Jean Bureau who laid out the camp to maximize French artillery strength. [1] In a defensive setup, Bureau's forces built an artillery park out of range from Castillon's guns. [8] According to Desmond Seward , the park "consisted of a deep trench with a wall of earth behind it which was strengthened by tree-trunks; its most remarkable feature was the irregular, wavy line of the ditch and earthwork, which enable the guns to enfilade any attackers". [12] The park included up to 300 guns of various sizes, and was protected by a ditch and palisade on three sides and a steep bank of the River Lidoire on the fourth.

[1] Talbot left Bordeaux on July 16. He outdistanced a majority of his forces, arriving at Libourne by sunset with only 500 men-at-arms and 800 mounted archers . [2] The following day, this smaller force annihilated a small French detachment of archers stationed at a priory near Castillon. [1] [2] Despite earlier plans to wait for reinforcements, Talbot pressed his men onward to the French camp, thinking his reinforcements would arrive soon. [1] Main battle Edit Along with the morale boost of victory at the priory, Talbot also pushed forward because of reports that the French were retreating. [2] However, the cloud of dust leaving the camp which the townsmen indicated as a retreat was created by camp followers leaving before the upcoming battle. [2] The English advanced, but they ran into the full force of the French army. [11] Despite being outnumbered and in a vulnerable position, Talbot ordered them to continue the fighting. [13] Historian A.J.

Pollard suggests this seemingly reckless behavior from Talbot may be due to the fact that his "pride and honour were at stake for he had already ordered his men to battle when he discovered the strength of the French position". [14] The only Englishman who remained mounted in the battle, he also did not wear armor due to previous agreements with the French when he was released from captivity in Normandy . [2] According to David Nicolle , the battle itself was "highly characteristic of the period" with the strong field fortification of the French and the small-arms fighting of the battle. [15] In many ways, this battle played out like the Battle of Crécy in "reverse". [15] The French guns decimated the advancing soldiers. It is reported each shot killed six men at a time. [16] [17] Talbot's reinforcements continued to arrive at the battle, only to suffer the same fate. [1] Despite the odds against the English, the battle lasted over an hour until a thousand-strong Breton cavalry led by the Duke of Brittany crashed into their right flank , sending them into retreat. [18] In the end, the French routed the English.

Both Talbot and his son died in the battle. [1] There is some debate over the exact circumstances of Talbot's death, but it appears as though his horse was killed by a projectile , its mass pinned him down, and then a Frenchman killed him with an axe. [19] [20] [21] His death, and the subsequent recapture of Bordeaux three months later, effectively ended the Hundred Years' War . Aftermath Edit With Talbot's death, English authority in Gascony eroded and the French retook Bordeaux on October 19, 1453. [1] It was not apparent to either side, however, that the period of conflict was over. [22] In hindsight, the battle clearly marks a decisive turning point in history, and is cited as the endpoint of the period known as the Hundred Years' War. Henry VI of England lost his mental capacity in late 1453, which led to the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses in England. Some have speculated that learning of the defeat at Castillon led to Henry's mental collapse.

[1] The English Crown lost all its continental possessions except for the Pale of Calais , [1] which was the last English possession in mainland France, and the Channel Islands, historically part of the Duchy of Normandy and thus of the Kingdom of France. Calais was finally lost in 1558. [23] The Channel Islands have remained British Crown Dependencies . Weakened by the defeat and civil war, the English did not launch another attack in France until 1475. [24] A casualty after the battle of Castillon was Pierre de Montferrand , husband of Mary Plantagenet, illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Bedford and a granddaughter of Henry IV of England . On returning to France, after being exiled in England, Montferrand was arrested and taken to Poitier where he was tried by a commission. Having been found guilty he was beheaded and quartered, possibly on the orders of Charles VII, at Poitiers, in July 1454. Montferrand was one of only a small number of nobles known to have been executed for treason during the reign of Charles VII. [25] [26] Notes Edit Curry, Anne.

(1993). The Hundred Years War. New York: St. Martin's Press. Cutler, S.H (1981). The Law of Treason and Treason Trials in Later Medieval France. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-23968-0 . Lace, William W. (1994). The Hundred Years' War. San Diego: Lucent Books. Nicolle, David. (2012). European Medieval Tactics (2): New Infantry, New Weapons, 1260-1500. Botley: Osprey Publishing. Pollard, A.J. (1983). John Talbot and the War in France, 1427-1453. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press, Inc. Richardson, Douglas (2004). Everingham, Kimball G.. ed. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval families. Reprint edition. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub Co. ISBN 0-8063-1750-7 . Seward, Desmond. (1978).

The Hundred Years War: The English in France, 1337-1453. New York: Atheneum. Wagner, John A. (2006). Encyclopedia of the Hundred Years War. Westport, CN: Greenwood Press. Further reading Battle of Castillon in the Hundred Years' War 7,000-10,000 men Battle of Castillon - Background: In 1451, with the tide of the Hundred Years' War favoring the French, King Charles VII marched south and succeeded in capturing Bordeaux . Long an English possession, the residents resented their new French overlords and soon were secretly dispatching agents to London asking for an army to liberate their territory. While the government in London was in turmoil as King Henry VI dealt with bouts of insanity and the Duke of York and Earl of Somerset vied for power, efforts were made to raise an army under the leadership of veteran commander John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury. On October 17, 1452, Shrewsbury landed near Bordeaux with 3,000 men.

As promised, the city's populace expelled the French garrison and welcomed Shrewsbury's men. As the English liberated much of the area around the Bordeaux, Charles spent the winter raising a large army to invade the region. Though reinforced by his son, Lord Lisle, and a number of local troops, Shrewsbury possessed only around 6,000 men and was badly outnumbered by the approaching French. Advancing along three different routes, Charles' men soon spread out to attack numerous towns and villages in the area. Battle of Castillon - French Preparations: At Castillon on the Dordogne River, around 7,000-10,000 men, under the artillery master Jean Bureau, constructed a fortified camp in preparation for besieging the town. Seeking to relieve Castillon and win a victory over this detached French force, Shrewsbury marched out of Bordeaux in early July. Arriving early on July 17, Shrewsbury succeeded in driving back a detachment of French archers. Alerted to the English approach, Bureau shifted 300 guns of various types from firing positions near the town to defend the camp.

With his men stationed behind strong entrenchment, he awaited Shrewsbury's attack. Battle of Castillon - Shrewsbury Arrives: As his army arrived on the field, a scout informed Shrewsbury that the French were fleeing the area and that a large cloud of dust could be seen in the direction Castillon. In actuality, this was caused by the departure of the French camp followers which had been instructed to leave by Bureau. Seeking to strike a decisive blow, Shrewsbury immediately ordered his men to form for battle and sent them forward without scouting the French position. Surging towards the French camp, the English were stunned to find the enemy's lines manned. Battle of Castillon - The English Attack: Undeterred, Shrewsbury sent his men forward into a hail storm of arrows and artillery fire. Unable to personally take part in the fighting as he had been previously captured by the French and paroled, Shrewsbury charged across the battlefield pushing his men forward. Unable to break through Bureau's fortifications, the English were slaughtered en masse. With the assault faltering, French troops appeared on Shrewsbury's flank and began attacking.

With the situation rapidly deteriorating, Shrewsbury's horse was hit by a cannonball. Falling, it broke the English commander's leg, pinning him to the ground. Sallying out from their works a number of French soldiers overwhelmed Shrewsbury's guards and killed him. Elsewhere on the field, Lord Lisle also had been struck down. With both of their commanders dead, the English began falling back. Attempting to make a stand along the banks of the Dordogne, they were soon routed and forced to flee back to Bordeaux. Battle of Castillon - Aftermath: The last major battle of the Hundred Years' War, Castillon cost the English around 4,000 killed, wounded, and captured as well as one of their most notable field commanders. For the French, losses were only around 100. Advancing to Bordeaux, Charles captured the city on October 19 after a three-month siege. With Henry's failing mental health and the resulting War of the Roses , England was no longer in a position to effectively pursue its claim to the French throne. Selected Sources Battle of Castillon in 1453, ending One Hundred Years War.

- YouTube Battle of Castillon in 1453, ending One Hundred Years War. Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Sep 17, 2011 The main battle with the English army attacking the castle. Over 1,000 actors and volunteers. Mounted knights charge and are decimated by cannon fire. Despite repeated cavalry charges the English fail to capture the castle and the English army is destroyed. Talbot, the English leader is slain and the English capitulate, France recaptures the rich wine region of Acquitaine after over 100 years of warfare.

Category Learn and talk about Battle of Castillon, 1453 in France, Battles of the Hundred Years' War, Conflicts in 1453, Gironde Background[ edit ] The term "Hundred Years' War" is misleading, as the fighting between the English and the French during the period of 1337 to 1453 was more a series of conflicts than a single prolonged war. Thus, the conflict(s) can be examined from the vantage point of various stages. [3] The breakdown of the 1420 Treaty of Troyes began the final stage of the Hundred Years' War. [4] This period from 1420 to 1453 is characterized by Anne Curry as the “wars of the Treaty of Troyes” for control of the crown of France. [5] After the 1451 French capture of Bordeaux by the armies of Charles VII , the Hundred Years' War appeared to be at an end. The English primarily focused on reinforcing their only remaining possession, Calais, and watching over the seas.

[6] However, after three hundred years of Plantagenet rule, the citizens of Bordeaux considered themselves subjects of the English monarch and sent messengers to Henry VI of England demanding that he recapture the province. [7] On 17 October 1452, John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury landed near Bordeaux with a force of 3,000 men. [8] A feared and famous military leader, Talbot was rumored to be seventy-five or eighty years old, but it is more likely that he was around sixty-six at the time. [9] With the cooperation of the townspeople, Talbot easily took the city on October 23. [10] The English subsequently took control over most of Western Gascony by the end of the year. [10] The French knew an expedition was coming, but had expected it to come through Normandy . [8] After this surprise, Charles VII prepared his forces over the winter, and by the spring of 1453 he was ready to counter-attack. [8] Preparation[ edit ] Charles invaded Guyenne with three separate armies, all headed for Bordeaux.

[8] Talbot received 3,000 additional reinforcements from his fourth and favorite son, Viscount Lisle . [8] The French laid siege to Castillon on July 8. [11] Talbot acceded to the pleas of the town commanders, abandoning his original plan to wait for reinforcements at Bordeaux, and set out to relieve the garrison. [11] The French army was commanded by committee; however, it was Charles VII's ordnance officer, Jean Bureau who laid out the camp to maximize French artillery strength. [1] In a defensive setup, Bureau's forces built an artillery park out of range from Castillon's guns. [8] According to Desmond Seward , the park "consisted of a deep trench with a wall of earth behind it which was strengthened by tree-trunks; its most remarkable feature was the irregular, wavy line of the ditch and earthwork, which enable the guns to enfilade any attackers". [12] The park included up to 300 guns of various sizes, and was protected by a ditch and palisade on three sides and a steep bank of the River Lidoire on the fourth.

[1] Talbot left Bordeaux on July 16. He outdistanced a majority of his forces, arriving at Libourne by sunset with only 500 men-at-arms and 800 mounted archers . [2] The following day, this force defeated a small French detachment of archers stationed at a priory near Castillon. [1] [2] Despite earlier plans to wait for reinforcements, Talbot pressed his men onward to the French camp, believing his reinforcements would arrive soon. [1] Painting depicting the Battle of Castillon (1453) by the French painter Charles-Philippe Larivière (1798–1876). ( Galerie des Batailles , Palace of Versailles ). John Talbot is falling from his wounded horse. Along with the morale boost of victory at the priory, Talbot also pushed forward because of reports that the French were retreating. [2] However, the cloud of dust leaving the camp which the townsmen indicated as a retreat was created by camp followers leaving before the upcoming battle. [2] The English advanced, but they ran into the full force of the French army.

[11] Despite being outnumbered and in a vulnerable position, Talbot ordered them to continue the fighting. [13] Historian A.J. Pollard suggests this seemingly reckless behavior from Talbot may be due to the fact that his "pride and honour were at stake for he had already ordered his men to battle when he discovered the strength of the French position". [14] The only Englishman who remained mounted in the battle, he also did not wear armor due to previous agreements with the French when he was released from captivity in Normandy . [2] According to David Nicolle , the battle itself was "highly characteristic of the period" with the strong field fortification of the French and the small-arms fighting of the battle. [15] In many ways, this battle played out like the Battle of Crécy in "reverse". [15] The French guns decimated the advancing soldiers. It is reported each shot killed six men at a time. [16] [17] Talbot's reinforcements continued to arrive at the battle, only to suffer the same fate.

[1] Despite the odds against the English, the battle lasted over an hour until a thousand-strong Breton cavalry led by Peter II, the Duke of Brittany crashed into their right flank , sending them into retreat. [18] In the end, the French routed the English. Both Talbot and his son died in the battle. [1] There is some debate over the exact circumstances of Talbot's death, but it appears as though his horse was killed by a projectile , its mass pinned him down, and then a French archer killed him with an axe. [19] [20] [21] His death, and the subsequent recapture of Bordeaux three months later, effectively ended the Hundred Years' War . Aftermath[ edit ] With Talbot's death, English authority in Gascony eroded and the French retook Bordeaux on 19 October 1453. [1] It was not apparent to either side, however, that the period of conflict was over. [22] In hindsight, the battle clearly marks a decisive turning point in history, and is cited as the endpoint of the period known as the Hundred Years' War.

Henry VI of England lost his mental capacity in late 1453, which led to the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses in England. Some have speculated that learning of the defeat at Castillon led to Henry's mental collapse. [1] The English Crown lost all its continental possessions except for the Pale of Calais , [1] which was the last English possession in mainland France, and the Channel Islands , historically part of the Duchy of Normandy and thus of the Kingdom of France. Calais was finally lost in 1558. [23] The Channel Islands have remained British Crown Dependencies . After the effective end of the Hundred Years' War, weakened and traumatised by the defeat, the English never attacked France without the support of a strong coalition. A casualty after the battle of Castillon was Pierre II de Montferrand, husband of Mary Plantagenet, illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Bedford and a granddaughter of Henry IV of England . On returning to France, after being exiled in England, Montferrand was arrested and taken to Poitiers where he was tried by a commission.

Having been found guilty he was beheaded and quartered, possibly on the orders of Charles VII , at Poitiers , in July 1454. Montferrand was one of only a small number of nobles known to have been executed for treason during the reign of Charles VII. [24] [25] Battle of Castillon, France Tourist Information France 44.8556-0.0406 The Battle of Castillon of 1453 was the last battle fought between the French and the English during the Hundred Years' War. It resulted in a decisive French victory. After the French capture of Bordeaux in 1451, the Hundred Years' War appeared to be at an end. However, after three hundred years of English rule the citizens of Bordeaux considered themselves subjects of the English monarch and sent messengers to Henry VI of England demanding he recapture the province. On 17 October 1452, John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury landed near Bordeaux with a force of 3,000 men-at-arms and archers.

The French garrison was ejected by the citizens of Bordeaux, who then gleefully opened the gates to the English. Most of western Gascony followed Bordeaux's example and welcomed the English home. During the winter month Charles VII of France gathered his armies in readiness for the campaigning season. When spring arrived Charles advanced toward Bordeaux simultaneously along three different routes with three armies. Battle of Castillon - Hundred Years War Hundred Years War Hundred Years War The Battle of Castillon began on July 17, 1453 in north France. The Battle of Castillon was the last and largest battle fought between the French and the English during the Hundred Years War. This was the first battle in European history where cannons were the deciding factor. The French army was lead by commanders Jean Bureau with 4,000-6,000 men, and Jean de Blois Penthièvre with 1,000 men, totaling in 5,000-7,000 men. The English army was lead by commander John Talbot with 2,500 to 4,000 men. Talbot's force were the first with the upper hand.

They surprised a camp of French archers that then retreated to the main camp for the French around thirty miles away. Some of Talbot's forces advanced on the remaining archers that were retreating to the main camp to see the main camp retreating. Talbot heard the news and hastily marched forward for an attack. When he arrived at the camp he ordered his soldiers to dismount and carry on by foot. This time Talbot was the one surprised as the French had cannons positioned for the armies exact position. As they let cannons hail upon the army the English continued there march forward. French managed to take out Talbot and the English in approximately an hour. Survivors were run of to nearby towns. This was the final blow to the English and soon all towns nearby surrendered and conformed to the French ways due to the the English having no field army to support their cause. Create a free website Battle of Castillon | Familypedia | Fandom powered by Wikia Formigny Castillon The Battle of Castillon in 1453 was the last battle fought between the French and the English during the Hundred Years' War . It resulted in a decisive French victory.

Contents [ show ] Context After the French capture of Bordeaux in 1451, the Hundred Years' War appeared to be at an end. However, after three hundred years of English rule, the citizens of Bordeaux considered themselves subjects of the English monarch and sent messengers to Henry VI of England demanding that he recapture the province. On 17 October 1452, John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury landed near Bordeaux with a force of 3,000 men-at-arms and archers. The French garrison was ejected by the citizens of Bordeaux, who then gleefully opened the gates to the English. Most of western Gascony followed the example set by Bordeaux, and welcomed the English forces. During the winter months of 1452-1453, Charles VII of France gathered his armies in readiness for the campaigning season. When spring arrived, Charles advanced toward Bordeaux along three different routes simultaneously, with three armies. Preparation Talbot received another 3,000 men to face this new problem, but it was still an inadequate number to hold back the thousands of Frenchmen on Gascony's borders.

When the leading French army laid siege to Castillon , Talbot abandoned his original plans (acceding to the pleas of the town commanders), and set out to relieve the town garrison commanders. The French commander, Jean Bureau , in fear of Talbot, ordered his men (estimated at between 7,000 and 10,000 in number) to encircle their camp with a ditch and palisade, and deployed his 300 cannons on the parapet. This was an extraordinarily defensive setup by the French, who enjoyed great numerical superiority. They had made no attempt to invade Castillon. Talbot approached the French camp on 17 July 1453, arriving before his main body of troops with a vanguard of 1,300 mounted men. He routed a similar sized force of French francs-archers (militia) in the woods before the French encampment, giving his men a large boost of morale.

Main battle A few hours after this preliminary skirmish, a messenger from the town reported to Talbot's troops, as they rested from a night long march, that the French army was in full retreat, and that hundreds of horsemen were fleeing the fortifications. From the town walls, a huge dust cloud could be seen heading off into the distance. Unfortunately for Talbot, they were only camp followers ordered to leave before the upcoming battle. Talbot hastily reorganized his men and charged down towards the French camp, only to find the parapets defended by thousands of archers and crossbowmen in addition to hundreds of cannon. Surprised but undaunted, Talbot signaled his soldiers to attack the French army. Talbot didn't take part in the battle directly. He had been previously captured and paroled, and thus was not allowed to take arms against the French. English troops charged the camp across a ditch, only to be met with a hail of arrows and quarrels , and a fierce barrage of gun, cannon and small arms fire. The concentrated fire could be due to the fact that the ditch followed, probably accidentally, the former bed of a small stream, giving a bastionned look to defenses.

Once battle started, Talbot received a thin trickle of men from his leading footmen. After an hour, the cavalry of the Breton army sent by the Duke of Brittany arrived and charged his right flank. The English gave way, pursued instantly by the main French body of troops. During the rout, Talbot's horse was killed by a cannon ball and he fell, trapped beneath it, until a Frenchman, a Francs Archer, recognized him and killed him with a hand-axe. His death, and the subsequent recapture of Bordeaux three months later, effectively ended the Hundred Years' War . Aftermath Following Henry VI of England 's episode of insanity in 1453, outbreak of the Wars of the Roses , and the evident loss of military ascendancy to the French, the English were no longer in any position to pursue their claim to the French throne. The English Crown lost all its continental possessions except for the channel islands and the city of Calais , which was the last English possession in France. It was finally lost in 1558.

A casualty after the battle of Castillon was Pierre de Montferrand husband of Mary Plantagenet , illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Bedford and a granddaughter of Henry IV of England . Refusing to pay homage to the French king he was subsequently beheaded in Poitiers on 12 July 1453. External links List of 5 Most Significant Battles of the Hundred Years' War - History Lists HISTORY LISTS You are here: History Lists · Events · List of 5 Most Significant Battles of the Hundred Years' War List of 5 Most Significant Battles of the Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War was fought between France and England over the French throne from 1337 to 1453 which is even longer than 100 years. The war, however, was not fought continuously but in phases which initially evolved in the English favor. But the tide of war lastly turned in the French favor. By 1453, the French throne was secured by the House of Valois (a cadet branch of the extinct House of Capet), while all English possessions in France with the exception of Calais were lost.

Nevertheless, the English won three of five most significant battles of the Hundred Years' War. Battle of Crecy (August 26, 1346) The battle which was fought at the village of Crecy in northern France went into history for the disastrous defeat of the French despite the fact that they had a considerable numerical superiority. The Genoese mercenary crossbowmen and later the elite force of French knights proved to be an easy target for the English longbowmen. Victory at Crecy enabled Edward III of England to lay siege to Calais and force the city defenders to surrender one year later. Battle of Poitiers (September 19, 1356) Son of Edward III of England, Edward the Black Prince heavily defeated the superior French army near Poitiers, the today’s capital of the French region of Poitou-Charentes. Again, the English longbowmen played the decisive role in the outcome of the battle. The French king John II was captured during the battle and taken to England. He was released in 1360 after he promised to pay an enormous ransom.

Battle of Agincourt (October 25, 1415) The battle marked the last of the three brilliant English victories in the Hundred Years’ War against France. The English, commanded by King Henry V decisively defeated the numerically superior French army and conquered much of France. The English, however, failed to achieve a decisive victory in the war which entered into a new phase after the Battle of Agincourt and gradually turned in the French favor. Lifting of the Siege of Orleans (May 8, 1429) Joan of Arc, a 17-year old French peasant girl who claimed divine guidance lifted the Siege of Orleans which marked the turning point in the Hundred Years’ War. One of the greatest successes of the French army during the entire war enabled Charles VII to travel to Rheims to be crowned as King of France but it also significantly increased the morale among the French soldiers. In 1430, Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians who handed her over to the English. She was burned at the stake for heresy in the same year.

Battle of Castillon (July 17, 1453) The battle which ended with the French victory marked the end of the Hundred Years’ War between France and England although a peace treaty was never signed. The English who achieved several major victories during the course of the war lost all their possession in France except for Calais which was recaptured by the French only in 1558. The battle, however, also went into history as the first battle in Europe in which cannons played a decisive role. Castillon CASTILLON - 17 July 1453 The longbow outgunned The longbows charged uphill into a hail of fire from a well placed gun position and lost. John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, now in his mid-seventies and a veteran of the 100-year war with France, was appointed to lead the expedition of 3000 men that landed in Guyenne 17 October 1452. The citizens of Bordeaux opened their gates to Talbot, throwing out the French garrison.

Many towns in Guyenne quickly followed in reasserting their loyalty to the English, thereby undoing the gains made by King Charles VII in 1451. The point of disembarkation for the English army was strategically a surprise. The French had assumed the English expedition would be sent to Normandy. The French King took considerable time for thorough preparations and it was not until mid-summer of 1453, that he was ready with an army to re-occupy Guyenne. Three French armies approached western Guyenne. One from the Northeast, one from the East, and one from Southeast. Charles VII followed with a reserve army well to the rear. The combined French army was in an overwhelming superiority although no single one of its three units by itself outnumbered the Anglo-Gascon army that Talbot could now put in the field. Talbot's son, Lord de Lisle, arrived in Bordeaux with additional English troops, which brought the English contingent to nearly 6000. As usual, the English counted on augmenting their army with loyal Gascons. In view of the opposing numbers the separate French armies advanced with some caution.

By mid-July the French centre army from the East besieged the town of Castillon on the Dordogne River only 30 miles East of Bordeaux. The French force had more than one commander. The titular command was vested in the senior nobleman, Jean de Blois, Count of Perigord and Viscount of Limoges. However, the de-facto man in charge was a by now well-known 'siege engineer' called Jean Bureau, who along with his brother Gaspard was an acknowledged master of artillery. It was by now practice in the French army that the 'siege engineer' directed siege and artillery operations. The noblemen commanders remained with and led the heavy cavalry, which was their particular expertise. The artillery would beat off and hold a position against attackers, but its immobility meant that it could not destroy them. That could only be achieved through a counter-attack with the cavalry. The de-facto command structure of the French army well reflected the realities of battle as they had by now evolved. The Bureau brothers had gained experience in the Normandy sieges and had also been in the 1451 campaign to reconquer Guyenne; they knew the region.

They decided to site a fortified camp East of the town of Castillon, in a position where it would not be caught between two fronts; the town garrison to East and the expected relieving army also coming from the East. For four days from 13 to 16th July some 700 French pioneers worked night and day in order to construct a deep continuous ditch backed by a palisaded rampart to surround the camp on three sides; East, South and West. It was some 700 yards (640m) long and on average 200 yards (183m) wide with its Northern side abutting the river Lidoire. The irregular perimeter of the French camp made the best use of a dried riverbed and was such to give the artillery a maximum of oblique and enfilade fire. Another distinctive feature of the French camp was its composition. It reportedly contained 300 guns, far more siege cannon or bombards than could be expected to be with a moving invading force.

Though the exact breakdown between artillery pieces and handguns is not known, there is little doubt that a significant number of the weapons were handguns and that these were probably supervised by the Genoese mercenary, Guiribaut. The guns were placed around the perimeter of the camp and if there were as many as 300 they must have been almost wheel to wheel in an unbroken line The camp was beyond artillery range of the town of Castillon and no effort was made to establish closer siege lines or to isolate the town. The French camp was essentially an artillery park. It contained at least 6000 men. There is little doubt that Bureau had prepared the camp primarily to engage a relief force. Moreover, a cavalry troop of 1000 Breton men at arms was located 1 mile to the North of the camp on a wooded rise. A thousand French archers under Joachim Rouault were placed as an outpost in the Priory of St. Laurent just to the North of Castillon at a point where any relief force from Bordeaux might be anticipated. Though he would rather have waited until the French forces drew closer to Bordeaux, Talbot was persuaded to go to the rescue of Castillon.

With noted aggressiveness and daring Talbot departed Bordeaux in the early morning of 16 July. He led an advance troop of cavalry to be followed by more dismounted men and artillery. His total force at Bordeaux was some 6000 plus about 3000 Gascon contingents which had joined at the last moment. He hoped that by knocking out one army and then quickly returning to Bordeaux, he would be in a better position to chose his ground and pick-off the other two. Speed was therefore essential and this meant the large numbers of men at arms on foot would have to follow. The numbers available to Talbot for the battle of Castillon were therefore much lower than the above; probably no more than 4000 at the height of the battle. After reaching Libourne on the Dordogne River at sundown, Talbot's mounted force of about 500 men-at-arms and 800 archers continued with a forced night march. By dawn on the 17th the advance guard of the English-Gascon force reached the woods immediately North of the Priory of St. Laurent.

The route taken had been an indirect one and French lookouts in the Priory would have had no inkling of an assault out of the wood at day-break. Talbot's small force surprised the French archers killing some and dispersing the others, who fled to the main French camp. The attack was a complete success. The main French army in the camp had made no attempt to relieve the Priory. Some of the English men at arms pursued the archers right up to the camp and would have returned with useful reports as to its position and nature. After the nearly 30-mile forced march and the conquest of the Priory, Talbot now gave his troops a well-deserved rest. The men were also able to help themselves to the ample supply of food in the Priory. Presently a messenger from Castillon reported that the French were retreating. In clouds of dust. French horsemen and carts were seen riding hastily away from the camp. True to his instincts Talbot recognized the value of striking the French as they were attempting to withdraw. He was cautioned against such haste at least until all of the English and Gascon men at arms on foot had arrived. Nevertheless, Talbot decided to attack immediately before the prize escaped.

It was an understandable but nevertheless fatal error of judgment. Talbot's mounted force forded the river Lidoire 600 yards (550m) to the West of the French camp. The English-Gascons did not advance upon the French camp from that direction, but swung round to attack the longer axis of the camp embankments from the South. It now became clear how brilliantly the Jean Bureau had sited the camp. - French Men at Arms on foot - Genoese Cross Bow - English Cavalry and Men at Arms on foot - English Men at Arms on foot - English Archers - Canon It could not be attacked from the North where it was protected by the river Lidoire and a steep bank. If it was attacked from the West its frontage of only 200 yards (183m) was too small for the full deployment of an attacking army. From the South the attacker would have to pass across the front of the camp and virtually within the range of its guns as the river Dordogne was only 600 yards (550m) away to the South.

As an experienced campaigner Talbot belatedly realized that the French had not left their camp and that it was indeed well positioned. However, nothing in his experience would have enabled him to recognize the danger of confronting a wall of gunfire that could cover a greater area than the longbow. This time it was Talbot who was surprised, the French Army was not in full flight but ready and waiting for him. What had in fact happened was that the archers who had fled from the earlier attack on the Priory had sought refuge in the camp. As the camp was already overcrowded the commanders had decided that the maximum number of horses, carts and non-essential men would have to be evacuated. The cloud of dust that had been seen should in the distance was that of the varlets riding horses and carts away from the camp. It had misled messengers into the belief that the whole army was in retreat. Instead the French gunners were waiting for Talbot right where he was. Talbot directed his troops to dismount for the attack while he remained astride his white cob. The attack was launched with the battle-cry of "Talbot! St. George!" It was launched into point blank artillery and it was carnage.

English and Gascons who got through the massed gunfire struggled across the moat and up to mount the parapet. Thomas Erpingham reportedly managed to plant his banner on the top of the parapet before paying for the glory with his life. French cannon pounded the attackers with enfilade fire at point-blank ranges, maiming more than they killed. The attack met with hand-to-hand fighting at several points. As the battle continued the seriously out-numbered English and Gascon army was augmented piecemeal as the following dismounted force arrived on the scene. Although in total there may have been close to 4000 of Talbot's men on the battlefield, their piecemeal arrival made efficient deployment difficult. Even as a singular force, it was still insufficient number to successfully assault a well-prepared field defense. The assault was undertaken without Talbot's artillery, which did not arrive in time. Despite the searing gunfire the English-Gascons army managed to maintain the struggle for about an hour approaching mid-day. At this point the outcome of the battle could still have gone either way.

Now the Breton cavalry, which had been stationed in the woods to the North of the camp was deployed with perfect timing and surged down from the heights, wheeling round the camp to the East to strike the right flank of the English-Gascon army. Simultaneously the French archers rushed forth from the camp walls, behind which they had retreated earlier in the day. They took full advantage of the enemy now being driven down the incline towards the river Dordogne. While his beaten army tried to withdraw by fording the Dordogne at the Pas de Rauzan, Talbot was left pinned beneath his horse that had been felled by a cannon shot. A French archer, Michel Perunin finished the Earl off with a single blow of an axe to the head. Talbot's son was also killed. Some of the English-Gascons escaped to Castillon, others were pursued to nearby towns. The victory of the French army at Castillon annihilated the English-Gascons and left them without a field army in Guyenne to support their cause. Casualties amounted to some 3500, mostly wounded and captured.

On the French side losses were much lower and are generally estimated at between 200 and 300. The battle of Castillon is one of the first battles in Western Europe where guns decided the issue. A mass of weapons firing from prepared defensive positions was really an expansion of the English longbow tactic. However, a different level of competence and experience was required in order to employ these new weapons effectively in a vulnerable defensive position. The Bureau brothers had well assimilated their experiences of previous campaigns. They had thought through the new logic of the advantage gained by a longer range of fire, tempered by its lesser mobility. The command structure of the French army had adapted itself to these new realities and enabled such men to make the necessary changes in tactics. Gascon towns quickly surrendered as the French artillery approached. The renewed surrender of Bordeaux to King Charles VII of France on 10 October signaled the end to the 100-year war.

Question: The 1453 Battle of Castillon is considered to be the last battle in which war?
Answer: HUNDRED YEARS’ WAR